TIMBER IMPORTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 March 1930, Page 7

TIMBER IMPORTS

APPEAL TO M’s.P. . MORE PROTECTION NEEDED [special to “star.”] AUCKLAND, March 26. An attempt to convene a meeting of Members of Parliament early next session, to discuss the position in the timber industry, is being made by Mr. C. H’. Clinkard, M.P. for Rotorua. The following letter has been addressed by Mr. Clinkard to fifty-six Members of the' House of Representatives: — “No doubt you are aware of the denressed condition of our timber milling industry. In 1924-25, 10,082 employees were employed therein, while in 1927-28 the numbers had fallen to 7186, and it is etsimated that this year’s figures will show a considerable further decline This is doubtless largely due to importation, for in 1924, imports from the United States were 7,436,541 superficial feet, and in 1929 had increased to 24,527,392 feet. “Personally, I am a strong advocate of the utilisation of our own materials, the encouragement of our own production, and the defence of our industries from unnecessary foreign imports. With this aim in view, I wish to enlist the active co-operation of all those Members of Parliament who agree with me, quite irrespective of the political party to which we may belong. Would you kindly advise me as to your attitude toward the question, and if you will be prepared to attend a meeting during the first week in which Parliament meets, or shortly after, to consider what steps, if any, should be taken to attain the desired results.” Mr. Clinkard, who is visiting Auckland, said yesterday that he had received about twenty favourable replies from Members, and others had indicated to him personally their sympathy with the movement. As some letters had only recently been despatched, he expected to receive further replies within the next few days to the invitation to attend the meeting.